Kimmel on losing Republican popularity: ‘I would do it again in a heartbeat’

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel in a new interview said he doesn’t regret talking politics even if it is decreasing his popularity among Republican viewers.

“Yeah, I mean, I saw, I don’t know if it was a study or a poll, some combination of those two things, that, like, three years ago I was equally liked by Republicans and Democrats,” Kimmel told a CBS News correspondent when asked about the risk in him becoming political about issues like health care and gun control during his show.

{mosads}“And then Republican numbers went way down, like 30 percent or whatever. And, you know, as a talk show host, that’s not ideal. But I would do it again in a heartbeat,” he said.

Kimmel, who hosts ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” weighed in on the health-care debate earlier this year when he issued a plea to lawmakers about pre-existing conditions. He also disclosed that his son was born with a heart defect.

“I don’t say, ‘I don’t mind.’ I’d love for everyone — I want everyone with a television to watch the show,” Kimmel told CBS when asked if he doesn’t mind that Republicans stop watching his late-night show.

“But if they’re so turned off by my opinion on health care and gun violence, then I don’t know. I probably won’t want to have a conversation with them anyway,” he continued. 

“Well, not ‘good riddance,’ but riddance!” he added.